A nothern pine snake (file photo courtesy of John and Ellen Yannariello)

Under this week’s rule proposal, the net loss of presumed habitat for endangered and threatened species would be about 31,000 acres.

Of the approximately 43,400 acres of land that would no longer be considered habitat for endangered and threatened species, about 17,000 acres would be within growth areas. The rest would be in areas for limited growth or conservation, according to the proposal.

Of the approximately 12,400 acres that would now be considered habitat for endangered or threatened species, about 1,300 acres would be within growth areas, according to the proposal. The rest would be in areas for limited growth or conservation.

The mission of the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program “is to actively conserve New Jersey’s biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing endangered, threatened and nongame wildlife populations within healthy, functioning ecosystems,” according to the DEP website[7].

The program is responsible for protecting and managing nearly 500 wildlife species in the Garden State, including 73 that are endangered or threatened, according to the website.